Special Officer for Linguistic Minorities (Article 350B)

At a Glance

• What it is Officer monitoring safeguards for linguistic minorities
• Article Article 350B (inserted by the 7th Amendment, 1956)
• Designation Commissioner for Linguistic Minorities
• Reports to President, through the Minority Affairs Minister
• Exam link UPSC Prelims, Polity: Constitutional Bodies

Where Does It Fit?

This is the ninth topic of the category on Constitutional Bodies. Originally the Constitution made no provision for a Special Officer for Linguistic Minorities. The States Reorganisation Commission (1953-55) recommended one, and the Seventh Constitutional Amendment Act of 1956 inserted Article 350B in Part XVII.

Provisions of Article 350B

Article 350B provides that there should be a Special Officer for Linguistic Minorities, appointed by the President of India. It would be his duty to investigate all matters relating to the safeguards provided for linguistic minorities under the Constitution and to report to the President at such intervals as the President directs. The President places all such reports before each House of Parliament and sends them to the governments of the states concerned. The Constitution does not specify the qualifications, tenure, salaries and allowances, service conditions or procedure for removal of the Special Officer. A linguistic minority is a group of people whose mother tongue is different from that of the majority in the state or part of a state, so linguistic minorities are determined on a state-wise basis.

Commissioner for Linguistic Minorities

In pursuance of Article 350B, the office of the Special Officer was created in 1957 and designated the Commissioner for Linguistic Minorities (CLM). The headquarters was established at New Delhi in 1957, was shifted to Allahabad after a brief period, and shifted back to New Delhi in 2015. The CLM has three regional offices at Belgaum (Karnataka), Chennai (Tamil Nadu) and Kolkata (West Bengal), each headed by an Assistant Commissioner. At headquarters the CLM is assisted by a Deputy Commissioner and an Assistant Commissioner, and maintains liaison with state governments and Union territories through nodal officers appointed by them. At the Central level the CLM falls under the Ministry of Minority Affairs and so submits the annual and other reports to the President through the Union Minority Affairs Minister.

Role

The CLM interacts with the states and Union territories on all matters concerning implementation of the constitutional and nationally agreed safeguards for linguistic minorities. The organisation takes up matters relating to safeguards that are brought to its notice by linguistic minority individuals, groups, associations or organisations. The CLM personally visits linguistic minority areas and educational institutions for an on-the-spot assessment of the status of implementation of the scheme of safeguards. When required, the CLM holds discussions with Chief Ministers and Governors of states and Chief Ministers and Lieutenant Governors of Union territories, and at the highest levels of administration such as the Chief Secretary, the Principal Secretary (Education) and the Principal Secretaries of departments entrusted with monitoring implementation.

Vision, Mission, Functions and Objectives

The vision is to streamline and strengthen the implementation machinery and mechanism for effective implementation of constitutional safeguards for linguistic minorities, ensuring protection of the rights of speakers of minority languages and providing equal opportunities for inclusive and integrated development. The mission is to ensure that all states and Union territories effectively implement the constitutional safeguards and the nationally agreed scheme of safeguards for equal opportunities for inclusive development.

Why Is This Topic Important?

• Small but asked Article and amendment are standard facts
• Related to Part XVII Language safeguards
• Minority safeguards Link with Article 30

What Came Next?

The next topic covers the Goods and Services Tax Council under Article 279A.

Key People and Terms

• Linguistic minority Group with mother tongue different from the state majority
• Article 350B Special Officer
• Commissioner for Linguistic Minorities Designation of the Special Officer
• States Reorganisation Commission Recommended the office
• Nationally agreed safeguards Scheme beyond the Constitution

Exam Corner

Mains Angle

Questions on this topic usually ask about safeguards for language minorities. Use these points to add depth.

• Constitutional basis Article 350B
• Monitoring role Investigation, reports and visits
• No legal powers specified Qualifications and tenure not fixed
• State-wise determination Minority defined by state